Your best bet in a used car will be a well-maintained American car. I don't want to get into the U.S./rest of the world "discussion" being held on other threads. I'll just say that proper maintenance has more to do with a car's trouble-free operation than where it is made. Right now, there are some decent American cars out there, but perception has not caught up with the reality, so American cars suffer more depreciation than many foreign cars. As a buyer of a used car, you can take advantage of that. Some of the cars you might want to look at include the Ford Taurus, or just anything midsize or larger from GM. I'm guessing that, since you got to the age of 16 without being a "gearhead," you mostly want a comfortable, reliable car. These will do the job. They shouldn't cost a fortune for insurance, either. Mikie is right -- even if you're paying for your own insurance, it will be cheaper to piggyback on your parents' policy than it will be for you to go solo. Ask about discounts if you get good grades in school or are willing to drive only a certain number of miles per month, etc. Finally, what else I wish I'd known about cars at your age? Having a car is a joy and a privilege -- and a responsibility. As a teenager, you have the benefit of quick reflexes and (I hope) formal training. You can be an excellent driver. But there's no substitute for experience -- especially at night in the rain and on icy roads. I knew how to steer out of a skid -- until the first time I found myself in one and narrowly missed a fence as I spun into a farmer's field. It's different when it really happens. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that you're immortal (every teenager thinks so; so did I). You're in control of almost two tons of metal and glass and plastic, so be careful. When I was 16, nobody had cell phones and we were lucky if the car had an FM radio, nevermind multi-channel stereo systems and iPod links and the like. I know teenagers are better at multi-tasking than they used to be, but you still have one primary task in a car -- driving. Don't be distracted by fiddling with the stereo or talking with friends. It's okay to concentrate on driving. Professional auto racers do. Have fun! Getting my first car was a blast. I hope you find one you really like and have many happy miles with it.

The liability might not automatically cover the rental car because somebody else could be using your car while you are gone, meaning you'd be insuring two cars for the price of one. It depends on the laws of your state. If your agent says that liability DOES extend to the rented vehicle, ask them to point it out in your policy. When it comes to insurance, if it's not in writing it isn't true. Credit card coverage is usually very good, but again be sure to read all the fine print. There are likely to be "exceptions" and "exclusions." Plus, it usually covers damage to the rental only. Keep in mind that even though credit card coverage would pay for repairs, the rental company will still want to collect the daily rate from you while the vehicle is out of service. Typically, the insurance will NOT cover that.

When I rent a car I always charge it to my credit card which automatically includes coverage for the first $500.00. There's no extra fee. My personal insurance will kick in after that. DH had a rental and didn't realize that someone had banged into the passenger side of the car while he was in the hospital visiting his mother. When he returned it they said he'd be responsible - our credit card the $500 deductible and our insurance paid the rest. It was very easy to do. But I agree that the rental agents try to scare you into purchasing insurance. I think in most cases it's just a rip-off. Many rental companies insist that you return the car with the same amount of gas that was in it when your picked it up. If they have to add gas they usually charge a significantly higher price per gallon so I always try to give them the same amount.

If she's got no assets then she probably doesn't need much more than the next step up from your states minimum liability coverage. My DS had to have full coverage on his car before he paid it off, and with a $500 deductible (the lowest they'd let him have) he was paying about $212/mo. Now he's just got liability, it covers uninsured/underinsured and PIP medical at one step above the state minimum-which is 25-15-50K and his deductible is still the $500. He had no accidents but a speeding ticket-and that, plus he was male under 30 put him in the high cost category. Accidents where she was not at fault shouldn't count against her. If she owns her car outright, and it's more than 5 years old, she can consider dropping full coverage, but get more than just the minimum liability-$15K for medical bills can go in a heartbeat. Ask me how I know....I had $50K personal injury and one bad crash almost 10 years ago ended up costing that.